This invention offers a woodworking tooling machine capable of processing items of variable size and complex shape, as well as the relative new method. The machine according to the invention comprises a multiple number of item blocking devices, capable of also acting as stops for the same, where each of said units is mobile and capable of being positioned at will along the working plane.
The method according to the invention provides for positioning a first series of said units, arranging the item to be processed against said stops, blocking it at one or more sides and performing the processing on the free sides, then moving additional devices to block the item at the processed sides, removing the initial blocking devices, and completing the processing on the remaining side. This system allows the machine to be quickly and easily adapted to the processing of items of any shape, thus achieving an extremely flexible machine, capable of drastically reducing the dead moments needed on the known machines for preparing them to process new items.
It is known that a correct positioning of the item to be processed is of fundamental importance in the processing done by tooling machines.
Various systems for positioning and blocking an item are known, system which vary depending on the type of processing to be performed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,117 by the same applicant described a tooling machine for the processing of panels where the working plane comprises a pair of guides arranged along a first axis, on which a multiple number of guides are sliding and each carrying one or more mobile fastening devices mounted on the cross beam along an axis set at an orthogonal direction with respect to that of the previous axis.
As mentioned above in these known machines the items is fastened by placing the item on suction-cup elements connected to aspirating devices capable of creating a vacuum inside the suction cup, so as to block the panel during the processing step. This system, while suitable for panels, presents however a few limitations whenever the processing is to be done on items of limited width and of complex shape, which need to be processed on all sides and which are difficult to position and block on the working plane.
The limitations of the known machines are in particular evidence whenever the type of processing needs to be frequently changed, because of the dead moments needed for preparing the working plane and the relative stops, whenever the item to be processed is to be changed.
In order to overcome this problem this invention offers a woodworking tooling machine equipped with a working plane comprising a pair of guides arranged along a first axis, a series of mobile cross beams oriented along an axis orthogonal to the previous one, a multiple number of supports capable of sliding along said cross-beams, each carrying a pair of item striking and blocking devices, where each striking and blocking device comprises a pressing device and some suction devices controlled independently from each other. Each support of the blocking devices presents a seat capable of being engaged by an element mounted on the machine""s operating head, which can thus be utilized for positioning the support on the working plane.
According to an alternative version of the invertion, the working planes are two and the device for the positioning of the supports is capable of engaging said seats into the supports which are freely mobile along a first axis, while the working planes are mobile along an axis orthogonal to the previous one.
The combination of these two motions makes it possible to place the supports on a working plane, while the operating head performs the operation on the other plane.